Beijing open to foreign aid and scrutiny in wake of tragedy

The earthquake could accelerate liberalisation by China's government, which has been more open to domestic criticism and foreign help than in previous natural disasters, Chinese officials said yesterday.

For the first time, Beijing has accepted aid from abroad and invited rescue teams from Japan, Russia, South Korea, Singapore and even Taiwanese charities. US offers of direct assistance were declined but China's embassy in Washington encouraged Americans to send cash and supplies, a distinct break with the past.

Western journalists have been waved through police checkpoints around the epicentre, another sharp contrast to the practice 10 years ago when thousands of Chinese villagers were killed by flooding of the Yangtze river. Then, western journalists were turned back, and the government suppressed casualty figures.

This time, the government has provided speedy updates on casualties and Chinese leaders have toured the areas worst hit by the earthquake, in a hands-on style more commonly associated with western politicians.

The prime minister, Wen Jiabao, has emerged as a national hero for his unscripted and emotional appearances amid the wreckage. Wen arrived at a collapsed school, his hair awry, wielding a megaphone and wearing an all-weather jacket in place of his customary suit. On national television, he vowed that the search for survivors would continue "as long as there's a glimmer of hope" - a clip replayed continually on news bulletins.

At one point he crouched in the rubble of a primary school and shouted to a trapped pupil: "This is Grandpa Wen Jiabao, hang on child, we will rescue you!"

The Chinese government has also lifted censorship of the internet and allowed the free flow of criticism of safety standards and its performance from the country's army of bloggers. Officials in the education and housing ministries even took angry questions online from citizens demanding to know why there were so many children among the dead. The official toll by late yesterday was 21,500 with 14,000 more buried but the government has said the numbers could rise as high as 50,000.

A French nuclear watchdog yesterday praised China's authorities for the speed with which nuclear facilities in the region were shut down. The Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety said there was minor damage to reactors in the affected region but no apparent leaks.

China's ambassador to Britain, Fu Ying, said that the most significant political and diplomatic impact of the tragedy was the government's openness to outside assistance. "This time it's so much under the international limelight of the media, which is a good thing. It has allowed people in the world to see how China is tackling these difficulties," Fu said.

"It has really touched the hearts of the people, and on the Chinese side there is an openness to accept help. As China is more and more open to the world, relations with the world have grown stronger. There is more trust in the world. The comfort level with the rest of the world is growing."

She denied that Beijing's openness was intended simply to improve the country's image in the run-up to the Olympic games in August. "We said the Olympics would be a catalyst for changes in China. On the reform path, we have never stepped back - we have always moved forward."

Some officials have suggested that anger over western coverage of demonstrations in Tibet could lead to a rethink of the policy of openness after the games are over. "The consensus is that it will carry on moving forward," Fu said. With 900,000 Chinese citizens studying abroad, 60,000 in Britain and with millions of foreign visitors to China, the ambassador added, "it is impossible to close doors to the world".